75 YEARS OF FLAMENCO:

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING ASTURIAS BY ISAAC ALBENIZ AND SPANISH

CARAVAN BY THE DOORS
Group 12:
Krithi Prasad
Armando Navarrete
Isaiah Wilson

Dr. Cheyenne Cruz

MUSI 1300-001
August 9th, 2023

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Abstract:

This paper discusses the history and composition of two Western musical pieces, one classical
and one modern, and explores their similarities and differences. The songs in question are
Asturias by Isaac Albéniz and Spanish Caravan by The Doors. These pieces are analyzed by
identifying and comparing the following elements of music in each song: melody, texture, and
harmony. The musical influences of each piece are emphasized with respect to the time period it
was created, and connections are drawn between the songs and two relevant Spanish regions,
Andalusia and Asturias.

Historical Context:

Asturias (Leyenda) was composed by a Spanish pianist named Isaac Albéniz, circa 1892,
towards the end of the Romantic period. After his death, the piece gained popularity for its
elegant complexity and deft incorporation of flamenco traditions characteristic of the Andalusia
region in Spain, despite the name; Asturias is a different part of Spain, musically home to folk
songs. Originally intended for piano, the piece is now more commonly performed on a classical
guitar, to mimic the typical style of flamenco music. Spanish Caravan by The Doors was
released in 1968, at a time when blues, rock and roll, and folk music dominated popular culture.
The song has distinct elements of folk rock, and the lyrics contain the carefree optimism which
characterized a lot of the music of this time. It was written by Robby Krieger, The Doors’
guitarist, who had learned flamenco guitar from a young age and can be heard in the song.

Musical Analysis:

The initial melodic structure of Asturias is marked by several distinctive elements, most notably
a chordal cadence and an ascending-descending note pattern. Additionally, chordal homophony
is employed throughout the piece, particularly within the first half. The textural variety displayed
by the guitar adds to the overall tone of the composition, which is most likely intended to be
tense, dramatic, and emotional. Similarly, the usage of guitar chords in Spanish Caravan is used
to create a distinctive tone, with the main melodic guitar phrase being used as a harmonic tool
with the vocal melody. The addition of the melancholic vocal timbre, as well as the eerie electric
guitar and organ, give the piece a more playful and energetic tone, and add to the layered texture
of the composition overall.

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Social Impact:

Asturias was a refreshing and logical continuation of flamenco, uncompromisingly Spanish in its
composition and influence. As the Romantic period was winding down, Albeniz produced a
work that was lush and dense, but also melancholic and intense. It is best played on the guitar,
which is an interesting instrument for such an artful piece, considering most people in the
modern age consider it to be common and associate it with popular music as opposed to more
classical instruments such as the violin, cello, or piano. However, the guitar is uniquely suited to
draw out the intricacies of the song and honor its flamenco roots. Spanish Caravan is similarly
an exemplar of its time and place of origin, reminiscent of 60s and 70s psychedelic rock, and
also exemplifies The Doors’ discography and musical impact; their sound set the tone for their
peers and contemporaries, and they are largely the reason that period is associated with blues and
rock and roll. Even today, the larger-than-life legacy of The Doors’ frontman, Jim Morrison,
lives on.

Compare and Contrast:

The Doors pay homage to both regions of Spain recalled by Asturias (Leyenda), Andalusia and
Asturias. With an instrumental that is taken directly from its predecessor, which was heavily
influenced by flamenco, and a direct lyrical plea to be whisked away to Andalusia, Krieger
creates an ode to the region in his song, even describing the “fields full of grain.” His flamenco
guitar is quietly playful in the very beginning, then stops before suddenly becoming focused and
more intentional, resting again before the opening lines of the first verse, where it sounds jaunty
and effortlessly cheerful as the speaker makes his request, and asks to return to a place he loves.
Andalusia’s scenery is praised through the lyrics, and its rich musical tradition is acknowledged
and alluded to in the song, just like in Asturias.

The second verse of Spanish Caravan implicitly describes the second region. Asturias is
a coastal community in Spain, known for its rugged elevation and dense, verdant vegetation.
After a long rest after the first verse, the music starts again. Here it is louder, faster, and joined
by drums, becoming frenzied and obsessive. The lyrics focus on ships lost at sea, hidden riches,
and the mountainous landscape. The tone of the repeated line “I have to see you again and again”
changes from nostalgic to desperate. This is not dissimilar to the dramatic imagery conjured by
Albeniz’s Asturias. The classical guitar piece contains abrupt shifts in dynamics and tempo but
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never lingers long on these interjections before calmly returning to the main theme as though
there had never been any change at all. Without any words, it reflects the chaotic landscapes of
its namesake, which is beautiful in its unpredictability.

Where Asturias is deeply focused and self-contained, only concerned with its own
contemplations, Spanish Caravan stretches out beyond itself, grasping at and romanticizing an
ideal that remains out of reach. It is interesting to note that Asturias was written by a Spanish
composer, influenced by a Spanish musical tradition, and named for a Spanish region. Adding a
cooler twist to the vibrance of flamenco and creating a dramatic intensity with a feather light
touch are the only objectives of the piece, and it stretches on luxuriously until this has been
accomplished. In contrast, Spanish Caravan, written by an American rock band 75 years later,
longs to cross space and time to return to Spain and its music, with its flamenco guitar sampling
and yearning lyrics. However, even despite praising and incorporating the sounds of a different
time and place, Spanish Caravan remains firmly dated, the psychedelic folk rock of the late 60s
glaringly obvious in the lyrics and production; it could never be mistaken for what it draws from.
In this way, The Doors are successful in keeping a past tradition alive and relevant, dressing it up
in a way that is not out of place in their own time.

Conclusion:

Music traverses distances that cannot be physically crossed in one lifetime. When a song is
appreciated, popularized, and preserved, it becomes something bigger than itself, no longer
bound to the intentions of its creator. Since artists are always influenced by other artists and
movements, the ones who are deeply moved by a work of art, especially one from long before
their time, will find a way to continue contributing to its preservation so that others beyond them
can also find and be touched by it. The true extent of the impact of a piece of music can only be
known by the people it has had an impact on, who will either immerse themselves in the past, or
learn from their predecessors and use that knowledge to create something new.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Asturias.” Wikipedia, 27 July 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturias. Accessed 7 Aug. 2023

“Asturias (Leyenda).” Wikipedia, 13 May 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturias_(Leyenda).
Accessed 5 Aug. 2023
“Spanish Caravan by the Doors - Songfacts.” Songfacts.Com, www.songfacts.com/facts/the-
doors/spanish-caravan. Accessed 10 Aug. 2023.

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